Means for identifying documents



Sept. 28, 1943. A. F. voN soDl-:N l A 2,330,531

` mms Fon IDENTIFYING DOCUMENTS Filed oct. e, 1941 Patented Sept. 28, 1943 i e' UNITED STATS PATENT OFFICE MEANS :ron mnNTIFYiNG'DoCUMENTs Adolph F. von Soden, Long Beach,` Cali'ffl n y Appncanon "october s, 134-1, serial No, 413,355 A l (crass-3) 4 Claims.

invention relates to a positive identification of Lthe documentary instruments and records and more particularly tothe identication of legal instruments which have thereon the signa-l tures of contractural participants, signatories to Wills andftestaments, personal identicationa witnessed documents, affidavits, depositions, oaths, including identications of notary public seals and the like, andwhich in their usage serve the purpose for positively identifyingthe person or persons who have or are signing the instruments, l,and thereby preventing any fraud, fal'sications, forgery or misrepresentation in and to all suchlegal and personal papers, records or documents,r as `may any time or in future be brought before or .used in courts, judiciary tribunalsior other institutions demanding a positive and-a deiinite identification of the person or persons who have personally 'executed or witnessed Such documentary papers, records, or instruments in writing. i j

YManifestly; a-n object vof my invention is to provide a documentary paper in sheet form, having'r a` suitable place jfor aixing the signature thereon, or in Ygcase of one who is not able to write or is disabled in `some manner, or those using X mark system, such paper having a space desighated Afor the'express purpose .for afflxing along with said signature or a mark, an imprint of a finger or other part or portion of a skin or body, which is definitely identiiied by awitness; such print to be a thumb, fore-iinger, toe or the like,

and which is to be a permanent record' thereof and be recognized as apositive and indisputable evidence of the proper person, whose signature and the identity to such document is sought to be established.

Accordingly an object of my invention is to provide a suitable paper in sheet form, which is provided with suitable indications printed thereon for utilizing same for the nger print marks and also to provide suitable lindication marks which-are to be vused for and bythe notary public for their seals and also having suitable place marked for the uses by witnesses, so that a positive identication may be had.

Further object of kmy invention is to provide said paper sheet with a suitable4 pad member and" which is attachedthereto, said pad being folded over and closed entirely and only opened when same is in readiness for use by the person whoseV 'signature is to be veried and counterchecked asto the proper and the identical person or persons. A

Another object-of my'V invention is to provide said sheet of paper Vhaving a chemically treated section or suitable portionf,`said chemically treated section to be used -for limprinting thereon said ringer-'prints and also to `prevent erasures or .other falsications of the documenter the fingerprint so a'ixed thereto, also will prevent its destructionby v.iire or other-element and thereby establishing la positive and van unquestionable identity of vthe signatures andthe persons who are the parties mentioned in said document.

Further object of my invention'is to provide said sheet of paper with a-suitable chemical, or a combination of suitable chemicals, whichmay be sprayed thereonafter the signature is affixed to placement of the signature or print and therebyv removing any possibility of tampering with documents 'andthe authenticity of signatures. 1

`Other and further objects and advantages of invention as'will hereinafter more fully appear,` I attain bythe arrangements Vof the elements` involved, described and shown onthey drawing, forming-a part of my application.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which 'thel similar reference characters denote thesimilar parts.

r`In the drawing.

Fig.' lis the plan view of the sheet ofpaper;

showing the 'approximate V'positions of the markings which are used for ailixing the signatures and the 'identifying imprint of the fingen Fig.. 2 is the fragmentary layout view of the paper sheet ,showing the position of the padmember which is folded over and which is detachably connected therewith, said pad being provided with the finger-print transposing chemical. same being shown in modied form.

Fig. 3 is the cross sectional view of the pad member, taken on the line 3 3 of the Fig. 2.

lig-4 shows the sheet of paper havingk ade- *tachable folded over pad member and having its surface treated with chemical which is invisible and will change the paper color upon applicationy of a reagent or chemical erasure solution, said .vpap'erlalso having markings directing the posi- 1 tions of the signatures and the finger-printing for the signatories and the notary public, including the seal, same being shown in another modified form.

Describing my invention more in detail, in its broader aspects, said invention comprises a sheet of paper generally designated by numeral 2 which at its lower right hand section 4 is provided with a plurality of lines 6 each of which is provided with a circular marking 8 and directly thereabove having an identification in printed form for designating the particular finger imprinted in said circular marking 8 of the person whose signature is written over the line 6.

Also, said sheet of paper 2 at the lower left hand corner I is provided with a line l2 designating the position where the signature of the notary public shall be, also having a circular marking i4 for the finger-print and the identiication I6 of said finger directly thereabove or in some other place as in practice may be most desirable, including having a suitable marking such as LS or the like which is used for directing the position of the notary seal and designated by numeral I8.

In order to place the finger-print upon the paper and within said circular marking 8 any suitable solution, chemical composition, paste or printing medium may be used and thereby positively identifying the signature of the person which is anixed upon the designated line 6.

Also, in order to prevent falsiiications of signatures, forgery of signatures and-misrepresentation of persons or individuals whose true signature appear upon a legal document or other instrument, therefore it is within the province of my invention to provide any and all legal or other papers requiring the signatures of persons Whose names are or to be affixed thereto, `with the` circular or other suitable marking 8 which shall be used for placing the nger print thereon.

In the event the properly prepared printing ink, pad, paste or the printing medium is not available for immediate use, then another type of paper sheet may be used, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 which is provided with a folded over and a detachable pad member 20, one surface section of which, as at 22 is provided with a thin layer of suitable chemical, printing ink or the like as at 21% and which if so desired may be folded over as shown, see Fig. 3, and be held in place by means of suitable and gummed tape 26 so that same may be easily removed andthe pad member unfolded, thus exposing the inked or chemically prepared surface 22 and which after its use may be detached and suitably dispensed with.

In this manner as herein described, said sheet of paper 2 is provided with means in a form of a pad which is folded over and partially sealed and which will not dry-up or become destroyed even though said sheet 2 is laid away for a time, said pad surface having the chemically treated ink of such consistency which may be easily refreshed with a lightl solution of alcohol, ether, acetic acid or the like and thereby providing a finger-printing pad for immediate use.

In order to prevent the erasures, removal or otherwise destroying or falsifying the signatures, finger-prints or other identifying indicia upon legal documents, legal instruments, wills, testimonials and the like, said paper sheet 2 is provided with a chemically treated surface, as shown in Fig. 4 and designated by numeral 28, or, if so desired the entire paper surface 30 may be so treated.

The chemical solution used in treating paper surface 30 or any suitable portion thereof is composed of the following, to-wit: Ammonium phosphite one gram, phenolphthalein one gram dissolved in aqueous (1%) solution of uranine (sodium salt of fluorescein) adding the combine solutions to 100 c. cm. of a 10 percent solution of potassium chloride, then the combine solutions are added and mixed in a distilled water in proportions of 5 to 1 by volume.

It may be then noted that in the event said paper sheet 2, so treated with the combination of chemicals hereinabove named is dry, the surface thereof will not be destroyed and will not blur the ink in the event a pen and ordinary ink is used for writing thereon or for aflixing the signature as hereinbefore described, and that the imprint of the finger will be clear and legible, however, in the event said paper is subjected to a chemical treatment, chemical erasing fluid, erasures or electro-active chemical solutions, then the papers surface will change the color to light yellow and bright red which will indicate deflnitely that said signatures, writings and the finger-print impression had been tampered with and will further prevent to place an eligible signature or a finger-print in its place.

It may also be noted that said paper sheet 2 in treated or un-treated form may be used to receive thereon an imprint of the finger-print by using the common writing ink, by rst cleaning f i the finger with a solution such as alcohol and then applying a light coating upon the finger surface and finally by applying said ink coated finger upon the paper and at its place so designated, which will cause the ink to penetrate into 5; the paper body and thereby preventing its removal irrespective of the erasing method or form which may be used for that purpose.

, While I have thus described my invention with great particularity, it will be clear that the same` s may be modied throughout a wide range.

I accordingly do not propose to be limited to the exact details of line and marking designation, or the combination of the chemicals nor the application of the chemicals upon the paper surface `:or the paper pulp used in its manufacture, but

reserve the rights in practice to make any and all changes and modifications therein, which may come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A sheet of paperof the class described, having a plurality of signature line means on said paper for placing signature thereon, also having marking means at each signature line means for aixing finger-print imprint therein, and a folded over nger print pad means which is detachably connected to said sheet of paper for supplying the finger-print ink for each iinger-print mark, a gummed tape means atthe folded over VAedge of said pad means for holding the pad edge in folded over position and upon said sheet of an addition having seal marking means including finger-print marking means and signature line means at one edge of'said paper reserved for ofcial signature and for'identifying the signal. tures and the finger-print imprints of the signapaper defining a Width of said pad, a coated layer of nger print ink disposed between said folded strip of paper, a gummed tape means at the top edge of said folded strip of paper for sealing said strip upon said sheet of paper into a pad,y and perforation means in said gummed tape means t and said sheet 'of paper in close proximity tothe edge of'said rfolded strip for detaching said pad. 4. In a detachable nger printing pad ofthe class described adapted to be a detachable part of a sheet of paper, comprising, a folded strip of 3. In a detachable finger printing pad of the class described adapted to be a detachable part of a sheet of paper, comprising, a folded strip of paper deiininga Width of said pad', a plurality of perforations 'at the folded edge of said folded strip, a coated layer of finger printing ink dis-N posed vuponthe surface of said folded strip, and a gurnmed tape means at the top'edgeof said folded strip for'sealing' said strip upon of paper into a pad.

ADOLPH F. voN SODEN said sheet 

